'We've frankly been frightened enough' - Tory MP hammers Government on new lockdown rules
29 September 2020, 11:40
Conservative MP Sir Desmond Swayne told LBC that the British public has been "frightened enough" as he criticised the Government's latest round of lockdown rules.
The New Forest West MP's words came after he suggested it was a "sacking offence" for Sir Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty to publicly to warn that 200 or more people in the UK could die each day by mid-November if the current rate of infection is not brought down.
The warning was given by the pair as they delivered a press briefing last week, in which they also said the UK could have 49,000 new infections per day by mid-October if cases continue to double each week.
Speaking to LBC presenter Tom Swarbrick last night, Sir Desmond said: "Their performance last week, as I made clear in the Commons today, I thought it was bog science. It was clearly intended to frighten us. We've frankly been frightened enough."
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He added: "They were put out to finesse the ground and to roll the turf for the new restrictions that were to be put in place. I frankly think that in itself is always not a proper thing to do.
"Politicians take these decisions. Politicians have to justify them. I think it was wrong to put the scientists out to roll the pitch in that way."
During his Commons speech yesterday, Sir Desmond also questioned if Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been “abducted by Dr Strangelove and reprogrammed by the Sage over to the dark side”.
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Sir Desmond also specifically directed criticism at Prime Minister Boris Johnson, while on LBC.
When asked by Tom if Boris Johnson had lost a sense of proportion in dealing with Covid-19, Sir Desmond said LBC: "I believe he is in thrall to people who have lost a sense of proportion and I want to see the old Boris come back."
Speaking about the coronavirus question more broadly, he said: "We need a sense of proportion. I know it's a horrible disease. I know it's got a post-viral syndrome. But there are other things that the government needs to do to deal with our problem that doesn't make it worse.
"I think the way forward is much closer to the Swedish model," he told LBC.
